Self-standing exhibiting package

ABSTRACT

The foregoing invention refers to a self-standing exhibiting package that allows for transportation of its contained product from the manufacturing site to a point of sale; said self-standing package is characterized by containing and exhibiting the product, and wherefrom consumers may take the product at the time of purchase; characterized by being formed by angular beams that provide a preferably square or rectangular configuration with a plurality of angular crossbars that attached by their ends to said beams with a diversity of fixating devices, hence providing a plurality of peripheral supports at a same level at multiple heights and spaced between them, whereon stands containing and exhibiting various products are set, said stands are stacked or fixated with diverse devices on said angular crossbars providing the peripheral supports.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to the art of packaging and bailing,more particularly to a package that holds and exhibits products in apoint of sale, aimed to end users. More specifically, this inventionrefers to a self-standing exhibiting and dispensing package that allowsfor transportation of the product therein to its point of sale; saidself-standing package is characterized by its ability to hold andexhibit its product at points of sale, and end consumers may take saidproduct at the time of purchase.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently most products are individually packaged so they can reach endusers. However, distribution and marketing of these products requirebigger packages such as boxes or containers carrying a number of suchindividually packaged products in order to be transported and taken topoints of sale for end users, where they are then unpackaged and placedon shelves or exhibitors designed for such purpose. Furthermore, theymake such products appealing for end users.

Otherwise, such as in shopping malls and self service stores,individually packaged products are usually set in islands, placed atvarious levels and piled on the floor, pallet, stand, box or similardevices.

Accordingly, the constant need to have safer, trust worthier packagesthat allow for protection of such products being transported towards endusers, as well as the growing need to have bigger packages or bales thatallow on one hand to hold the product, and exhibit said product atpoints of sale on the other hand, where they may be displayed to endusers, has generated the development of new packages that strive tofulfill these needs and avoid usage of or additional investment onacquisition of shelves and exhibitors.

Prior art includes some patents that protect and disclose packagingstructures that satisfy the afore mentioned needs, such as U.S. Pat. No.5,251,753 granted to Pigott et al. on Oct. 12, 1993, which refers to acombined product transporting and exhibiting unit, including a pluralityof product containing trays vertically set with divisions verticallysupported that keep a space between product containers. Under theseshipping conditions, the bottom tray is housed and received within aflange that rests on a conventional shipping pallet. Each tray isprovided with an individual angulated support member between an adjacentvertically spaced pair of trays. A beam on each corner extends theentire height of the unit providing additional structural support duringshipping only. However, as may be disclosed and seen in the Figureshereof, each tray or plate contains products that in turn support thenext upper tray or plate and so on, hence making it necessary for theproducts on said next upper tray or plate to be organized, thenwithdrawn in order to have access to products in the next lower tray,and so on, until products such packaged and exhibited in said unit isfinished.

The beams on each corner are only used during shipping, and upon arrivalto their final destination at points of sale they are removed, providingstructural support for product protection during shipping only.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,692 granted to Stanley E. Knierin on Nov. 10, 1992refers to a container device with open faces, which includes a covermember with an inner division wall that forms cavities that receivecorner beams having a lower outer wall in order to tighten and hold thecorners of a household appliance. Such cover and corner beams may beused separately at will. This type of structure is designed to shipproducts only, more specifically devices of larger dimensions such ashousehold appliances, in order to protect and stabilize such devicesduring their transportation, not for their exhibition at points of sale.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,941 granted to Robert L. Watson on Jan. 27, 1987refers to a cardboard container for shipping and exhibiting products,comprising of a plurality of product support trays vertically set one ontop of the other, where the product on the lower tray supports. the nextupper product containing tray.

Other such patents refer to structures usually comprising trays orcontainers vertically set and with corner beams as structural elementsthat protect the products, during their shipping only. In all of them,products on such trays or containers support the next upper productloaded trays.

Said corner beams or corner pieces as reinforcing structural elementsprotecting the products on the above described structures, are made ofcompressed cardboard. However, such compressed cardboard beams havealways been used as packaging material and not as exhibitors.

Accordingly, and including the above referenced and cited patents of theprior art, to this date there is not one structure that allows packagingand exhibiting of products in a plurality of trays, where said productsdo not have to support the next upper tray, therefore allowing placementof such products on different levels without affecting the structure'sstability.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

Making a self-standing exhibiting package that allows vertical placementof trays at multiple levels where various products may be placed andcontained for their transportation and exhibition, and which allows fordisposition of such products on said various levels and on any of theirsides is the main objective of this foregoing invention.

Another objective of this invention is to make a self-standingexhibiting package that will furthermore be structurally functional,resilient, and long lasting available.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide aself-standing exhibiting package, which will additionally allow completeexhibition of the product from any angle and on all levels.

Still another objective of this invention is to provide suchself-standing exhibiting package that will further make such containedand exhibited products highly attractive for end users at points of salein self service stores.

Another objective of this invention is to make a self-standingexhibiting package that will furthermore comprise a unique and solidstructure.

A still further objective of this invention is to make suchself-standing exhibiting package available while also avoiding andeliminating the need to be put together at stores, and will furthermoreavoid such product's organization for its exhibition.

Another objective of this invention is to make a self-standingexhibiting package that will furthermore comprise wide and visible areasfor diverse advertising.

And all such qualities and objectives that will become apparent based onthe general and detailed description of the present invention, supportedby the embodiments described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Generally, the basic structure of the self-standing exhibiting packagein accordance to the present invention consists of angular beams (cornerpieces) that form a configuration preferably square or rectangular,although it may be polygonal; a plurality, of angular crossbars joinedin their end by diverse fixating devices on such corner angular beams,and such angular crossbars forming peripheral stands with a same levelat different heights, spaced between them, where containing andexhibiting panels may be set with various products, which are stacked orfixed by diverse fixating devices on top of said angular crossbarsforming said peripheral stands, allowing for such stands to bedisplaced.

Said angular beams and crossbars are preferably made of compressedcardboard, taking advantage of its structural characteristics offunctionality, resiliency, cost and recycling capabilities.

Said beams and said angular crossbars are preferably shaped like an “L”,both sides having the same length, each angular beam is set with itsopen side facing the interior of this preferably rectangular or squareconfiguration.

In one embodiment angular crossbars are attached by an arm to thecorresponding end arm of said angular beams, leaving the other armhorizontal in order to allow for support of product containing stands;even though said angular crossbars may be set with a vertical arm inorder to capture said support stand from within and provide exhibitionof the products.

End sections of outer faces of said attaching arms in the angularcrossbars are spliced with an inner portion thereof in sections at adefined height of such attaching arms corresponding to said angularbeams.

Upper angular crossbars forming the last peripheral stand, apart frombeing attached to said angular beams, are joined at their correspondingattached horizontal upper arms.

Attached ends of said angular crossbars joined at a same level on saidangular corner beams, are spliced one on top of the other.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, product containing andexhibiting stands are phased out of the center of the package, thusexposed to or beyond the middle of each face of the exhibitor, fixedwith fixating devices on said angular crossbars, hence making standsexposed on opposite sides of the package.

According to the above embodiment, corners of the plurality of standsprotruding from each face of the package, comprise an external angularbeam that provides additional support to the protruding section of suchproduct containing stands, comprising said outer angular beams, angularcrossbars attaching them thereto, where they rest upon, and they may befixed to said products containing stands.

In another embodiment of this package, corner angular beams are set withtheir open side facing out and angular crossbars are attached on theiredges with the outer face of an arm on the outer faces of thecorresponding arm of the angular beams, such angular crossbars beingexposed and substantially phased out, where each angular crossbarattached to adjacent angular beams, support a product containing andexhibiting stand, which are phased out from the center with a protrudingsection supported by other outer angular beams attached to the exteriorcorners of said product containing and exhibiting stands.

In another embodiment of the invention, considering the embodimentabove, corner angular beams are set with their open side facingoutwards, and the ends of said angular crossbars are fixed with theirouter sides on the outer faces of said angular beams; multiple levelsderive from each corner angular beam, perpendicular pairs of angularcrossbars generate a “V” shaped support where stands with the shape of ¼circle in order to support and exhibit other different or same products,on which edges another vertical angle is fixed to.

These embodiments may be combined based on the desired configuration,and the characteristics of said angular beams and crossbars, as well asthe products supporting and exhibiting stands.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, applied to any ofthese afore mentioned embodiments, angular beams are supported by abase, tray or pallet under their lower end.

Attaching and fixating media for said angular beams and said angularcrossbars and such stands on said angular crossbars are selected from agroup consisting of screws, bolts, staples, rivets, etc.

To allow for a better understanding of the characteristics of theforegoing invention this description includes, as an integral parthereof, drawings with illustrative, and not limitative, character, andare described below with regards to the favorite embodiment of thepresent invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a conventional perspective view of the basic embodiment of theself-standing exhibiting package.

FIG. 1 a is a conventional perspective view of the basic embodiment ofthe self-standing exhibiting package, with another fixating device forthe angular crossbars.

FIG. 2 is a conventional perspective view of another disposition of theproduct containing and exhibiting stands, according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 portrays another embodiment of the self-standing exhibitingpackage in accordance to the present invention.

FIG. 4 portrays another preferred embodiment of the invention withcorner stands or shelves.

A detailed description of some of the embodiments of this translation isgiven below to provide a better understanding hereof, with reference tothe drawings attached hereto with illustrative, not limitative,purposes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Characteristic details of the self-standing exhibiting package forvarious products are clearly depicted in the following description andin the illustrative drawings attached hereto, with reference numeralsused to indicate said parts.

With reference to FIG. 1 that is a conventional perspective view of thebasic embodiment of the self-standing exhibiting package. In saidFigure, this self-standing exhibiting package basically consists ofcorner angular beams 1 made of compressed cardboard with their open facefacing the inner part of the rectangular configuration, with a pluralityof angular crossbars 2 made of compressed cardboard attached on theirends by diverse fixating devices 3 in the inner side of said angularbeams 1, and said angular crossbars provide peripheral supports 4 at thesame level at multiple heights, thus forming a plurality of consecutiveperipheral supports, where containing and exhibiting stands 5 forvarious products may be set on, which are laid on such peripheralangular crossbars 2 that generate said peripheral supports 4; stands 5may slide so they may be withdrawn or inserted therein.

Said angular beams 1 and said angular crossbars 2 have preferably an “L”shape with both arms having the same length.

Angular crossbars 2 are attached with an arm on the correspondingadjacent end arm of the angular beams 1, their other arm then remainshorizontal allowing support for product containing stands 5.

End sections of outer faces of said attaching arms in the angularcrossbars 2 are spliced with an inner portion thereof in sections at adefined height of such attaching arms corresponding to said angularbeams 1.

Upper angular crossbars 2 forming the last peripheral support 4, apartfrom being attached to said angular beams 1, are joined at theircorresponding attached horizontal upper arms.

With reference now to FIG. 1 a which portrays a conventional perspectiveview of the basic embodiment of the self-standing exhibiting package,with another fixating device for the angular crossbars. In said Figure,angular crossbars 2 are attached with an arm on the correspondingadjacent end arm of angular beams 1, their other arm then remainsvertical, so that each peripheral support 4 captures a productcontaining stand 5 inside. This same figure also shows attached ends ofsaid angular crossbars 2 joined at a same level on said angular cornerbeams 1, are spliced one on top of the other.

Higher angular crossbars 2 may be fixed as fixated in the embodimentshown in FIG. 1, as upper cap for the end angular beams.

With reference now to FIG. 2 that portrays a conventional perspectiveview of another disposition of the product containing and exhibitingstands, according to FIG. 1. In said Figure, product containing,supporting and exhibiting stands 5 are phased out from the center ofsuch configuration, exposed to or beyond the middle in at least twoexposed faces of the exhibitor, fixed by diverse fixating devices 3 onsaid angular crossbars 2. Both outer corners of said plurality ofcontaining, supporting and exhibiting stands 5 comprise an angular beam1 in order to provide support to said exposed sections of said stands 5.

With reference now to FIG. 3 that portrays another embodiment of theself-standing exhibiting package in accordance to the present invention.In said Figure, angular beams 1 are set with their open face facingoutward and angular crossbars 2 are fixated on their ends with their onearm outer face on the outer face of their corresponding arm of saidangular beams 1, thus said angular crossbars 2 are set at the height ofa face of the package with respect to adjacent faces, therefore it ispossible that sections of product supporting stands 5 are exposed, whichare phased out from the center, where a phased out section is supportedby other angular beams 1 that are attached on the outer corners ofproduct containing and exhibiting stands 5. Upward, said corner angularbeams 1 comprise angular crossbars 2 as an upper cap.

In this embodiment, and as shown in the Figure, it is possible to haveproduct containing stands 5 at the same height on opposite sides of thepackage.

With reference now to FIG. 4 that portrays another preferred embodimentof the invention with corner stands or shelves. Said Figure, aside fromthe structure and configuration as described with reference to FIG. 3above, angular beams 1 are set with their open side facing outwards, andthe ends of said angular crossbars 2 are fixed with their outer sides onthe outer faces of said angular beams 1; multiple levels derive fromeach corner angular beam 1, perpendicular pairs of angular crossbars 2generate a “V” shaped support where stands with the shape of ¼ circle inorder to support and exhibit other different or same products, on whichedges another support angular beam 1 is fixed to.

This invention has been described with details enough so that thoseskilled in the art may reproduce it and get the results stated herein.However, any person skilled in the art of this present invention may donon-described modifications thereto but if the application of suchmodifications in a given structure or its manufacture process requiresthe subject matter included in the following claims, such structuresshall be included in the scope of this invention.

1-18. (canceled)
 19. A self-standing exhibiting package comprising: a. aplurality of vertical angular beams; b. a plurality of angularcrossbars, three or more of said angular beams attached to one or moreof said plurality of angular crossbars; c. a plurality of stands forcontaining and exhibiting products, said stands supported on-at leastone side by one or more of said plurality of angular crossbars; and d.one or more corner stands, wherein said corner stands supported by oneor more of said plurality of angular crossbars.
 20. The self-standingexhibiting package of claim 19, wherein said corner stands have a ¼circle shape.